Tug
by MishaRoseTennant
Summary: The Doctor finally has Rose back and he even gets to keep the Ponds! But what happens when past mistakes and a broken heart come back to haunt them? In the end, it isn't the changes that break your heart, but the tug of familiarity. Sequel to But What If. Season 6 w/Rose, Amy/Rory 11/Rose * if anyone wants to make a cover, please feel free to message me :) *
1. Chapter 1

**Hello again! Yes...that was just slightly more than a two week hiatus. Just slightly. Ok, I'm sorry. In case you have entirely forgotten what the hell _But What If_ was even about, or maybe you just don't care and want to skip it entirely! I don't recommend that but, (seeing as how I didn't quite tie up everything and there was a bit of a hole that will be filled in this one...) oh well. Here's a refresher!**

* * *

**-STORY SO FAR-**

So, Amy met a mysterious blonde woman on an alien planet sometime after the Byzantium but before vamps of Venice. That woman is Rose Tyler.

Generally the Doctor flips out and eventually goes to see Jack Harkness at the Torchwood hub looking for her. After a series of complicated events and emotions, Rose makes it back to Torchwood and meets Amy again. Then Jack. Then finally the Doctor!

Emotions, kissing, passion, feels, jealousy, general fluffiness, angst and even some fighting ensue. But, when Rory is shot and killed during Cold Blood, so is Rose. River shows up to drag Amy and the Doctor to the TARDIS, and she tells him he will forget Rose. But that wasn't all she told him. Tricky business and Rose meets Bad Wolf again and learns she will become even more of a Time Lord (genetic make-up entirely changed here). Jack and River work together to find Rose in a very run down Powell Estate. Later, River and Rose team up to find the Doctor yet again and run into Craig! During their search, Rose and River bond and become friends, yay!

Rose finds Rory at Stonehenge, then the Doctor! Reunion time! Long story even shorter, the Doctor learns about Rose's change and is elated, he isn't the last of the Time Lords anymore! But he still goes through with his plan of throwing himself into the exploding TARDIS. Rose is alone. River finds her and brings her to the Pond wedding, where there is another much better reunion ;)

Happy times in the TARDIS again and Amy and Rory go off on their honeymoon! We learn the Doctor is going to propose...sometime. Then, Rose sees Jack again. But this is after the 456...Ianto, Steven and still Tosh and Owen are dead. Jack and Rose get into a fight, where Jack leaves. Depressed feelings all around and Jack goes off on a bender. In the end, a much happier Rose and the Doctor decide to travel on their own for a while. Now...Chapter 1...

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**-Chapter 1-**

In the end, Rose was the one to remind him. And then of course force him to actually do anything about it. Which really, if he was honest, was what was always going to happen. He did have a way of getting distracted...especially when it came to Rose Tyler.

It had been just over one month since either of them had seen the Ponds. A brilliant, brilliant one month. One month in which nothing and everything happened all at once.

The nothing, meaning the thing that the Doctor had _completely_ planned on doing, didn't quite get accomplished. Really, he had planned on it. Well no, he had planned on _planning_ to do it. The planning had just gotten...delayed. The everything, meaning every single glorious day that he had gotten to have Rose right by his side, and mostly to himself.

There were a few off days, he knew there would be. The universe would never allow them a completely perfect month. Although Rose would beg to differ, which she always did.

The one off day that made Rose remember started out fine, perfect really, he even had a plan on where to take her. He should have known right there that the day wouldn't go as planned, when did it ever?

"Rooose! I could grow a beard in the time you're taking! Well, no. Maybe a mustache, but a sizable one!" he shouted from the console room.

Rose came into the console room rolling her eyes and tying her hair up in a ponytail. "Alright, alright, I'm here. What was so important that we had to get up at _three_ in the morning anyway?" she asked, yawning.

He just ginned at the sleepy, and a bit cranky, Rose. "Where's that sense of adventure gone, eh?"

She couldn't help but grin back at him. "Back in bed. Did you know that it's three a.m. or did that not occur to you, Time Lord?" she teased.

He scoffed. "You won't be saying that when you see where we're going." he said, turning his head back to the console secretively with a grin still spread across his face.

She raised an eyebrow. Thought he could keep a secret from her, did he? She moved closer to him and wedged herself between him and the console, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Really? And where's that?"

He moved his hands back to the controls, coincidentally trapping her quite nicely. "You'll just have to wait and see, Rose Tyler." he told her, feigning indifference. Even though all he wanted to do now was kiss the breath out of her.

She pouted. "That's just not fair." she said, moving even closer to him so that her mouth was just centimeters away and her breath was ghosting over his lips. "Know what else isn't fair?" she asked, pressing herself a bit closer to him.

Just as he was about to break his resolve and kiss her, she slid out from between his arms and moved swiftly around the console.

The Doctor stood with his mouth a bit open. "Those are two different levels of unfair, yours was just cruel." he said, suddenly running to catch her. She laughed and ran just fast enough so she was out if his reach. Then she flung open the TARDIS doors and ran outside.

"Oh _please_, get a room."

Rose stopped laughing and froze in place. The Doctor wasn't so quick and bumped into her. "Ha! Gottcha. Wait, what?" he said, wrapping his arms around her waist and only then noticing the other person standing in front of them.

"River!" Rose exclaimed happily, gently pushing his arms off her and rushing up to hug her friend.

The Doctor frowned. "Brilliant timing as always, River."

River laughed over Rose's shoulder, still hugging her. "Oh shut up, sweetie."

Rose pulled away and beamed at River. "What are you doing here? And why didn't you call?" River's smile faltered, something both the Doctor and Rose caught.

"Hold on, where are we? How far along are you?" the Doctor asked, checking his pockets for their journal. He refused to call it a diary.

Rose rolled her eyes and turned back to pull it out of his left jacket pocket, flipping to the last page she had filled out. "Right...we don't have much. Got the Pandorica...and the fifth moon of Peth. And we have Australia too, but that's it."

River raised her eyebrow. "Really? Oh you _are_ far behind. So let's see...huh." River said, after checking her diary for the dates she had written down. "So are Amy and Rory still with you then?"

Rose's eyes widened and she slapped her hand over her mouth. The Doctor looked a bit guilty and looked down. "Oh my god." Rose said.

River raised an eyebrow. "Really? Were you two _that_ busy?"

Rose dropped her hand but her mouth was still wide open. "We forgot Amy and Rory...we _forgot Amy and Rory_! It's been one whole month and we forgot!"

"Well, we were slightly otherwise occupied..." the Doctor said, trying to distract Rose again, but she just turned around to whack his arm with the diary.

"Doesn't matter! They're our best friends and we forgot to pick them up!"

River smirked. "Oh Doctor...looks like someone's in trouble." she teased.

He rolled his eyes. "It's fine, the TARDIS can go back to a week after we dropped them off and everything will be fine. They won't know it's been a month for us, it'll only be one week for them."

Rose hit him again. "That's not fair to them, is it? Of course we won't keep it from them that it's been longer for us."

"But Amy will be angry..."

Rose rolled her eyes now. "Yeah, she will be. But lying to her won't make her happier in the long run."

River laughed when the Doctor opened his mouth to respond. "Oh Doctor, quit while you still have feeling in your arm."

Rose couldn't help but grin at that and she turned back to River. "We haven't seen you in nearly two weeks, what have you been doing?"

"Well I can't tell you that, I'm a bit ahead again. It's been awhile since Australia for me. But not too long I don't think. So, come on. Tell me what you've been up to."

* * *

Rose and River sat in the library while the Doctor went off to do some much needed repairs. He hadn't done enough of those lately, and the TARDIS really did need it. He just hadn't wanted to waste the time he had with Rose doing repairs...but he probably should have done a bit more of them.

River smiled. "So, one month with just you and the Doctor?"

"Not counting Peth and Australia, yeah. It's been...brilliant. Really, really brilliant." she said, unable to hide the wide smile that spread across her face.

River laughed. "Please tell me you two are keeping it in the bedroom? Wouldn't want to eat at that table if you two have-"

Rose's mouth fell open and she hit River's knee. "River!" she said but she couldn't help laughing. "God you're just as bad as..." Rose trailed off, forgetting how much talking about him still hurt. It was silly, one month gone and the mention of his name still changed her whole mood.

River saw Rose's face falter as she didn't finish her sentence. River frowned. "Rose...what's wrong? And don't say nothing because you and I both know that's a complete lie."

Rose bit her lip and looked down at her hands. River didn't know...that was a first. "Um...yeah. It's not nothing. It's been a month and look at me, still acting like it was yesterday. To be honest, I didn't know it was going to be this bad for this long..."

River frowned more and moved closer to Rose. "Rose, tell me. What happened?"

Rose looked back up at her and tried to smile but she knew it failed miserably. "Um...it's Jack. He and I...he lost Ianto. And other people too. There was some kind of invasion back on earth, and he blames himself. He called and...I didn't know. We didn't make it to Jack in time...we didn't know. He was so, so broken, River, and so angry. I...he hates me now. He really does this time and I couldn't fix it. We got in this fight and-" she stopped, taking a deep breath and looking away again. "And he left. He really left this time. He's gone. He was in so, so much pain, and it's my fault. It's _all_ my fault."

River had never seen Rose quite so...broken. She had seen her when she'd thought the Doctor and Jack were gone, and when the Doctor had forgotten her...but this was a different pain. This was loss, but guilt too. River moved and hugged Rose close, letting her cry a bit.

"Rose...Jack would never hate you. Not ever. And you and I both know he doesn't blame you for that accident. You were trying to help him." She said, rubbing Rose's back.

Rose pulled back and shook her head. "No. River...it doesn't matter. I saw that look in his eyes; he was in so much pain. He doesn't have to blame me for that, I already do. He's in pain because of what I did to him. And then I wasn't even there when he needed me! When he and Ianto and Gwen needed the Doctor and me...we weren't there when Jack called. I didn't know about it, but that doesn't matter. I didn't come when he tried to call. I ruined his entire life, River. He won't ever die. Not until he's a massive decapitated head in a tank. Of course he hates me."

River shook her head. "No Rose. Jack needs you. Now more than ever, even if he can't see that. You and I both know he needs someone to be there for him, he can't live the life he had before. Not anymore. He's changed, even if he can't see just how much."

"River, you don't understand. He left. He told me never to call him. Ever. River that...I'm the last person he ever wants to see. You say he's changed? Who changed him, then? I did. So did the Doctor and Gwen I suppose but...but it was me that ruined it all."

River moved a piece of hair that had fallen in Rose's face, and held her chin so she was forced to look up. "Rose, what he's feeling...it's the worst feeling in the world. He lost his family; of course he's angry and sad. But _you_ are his family too."

"Exactly. And I will always be here for him, but River I can't just force myself on him. I can't make him forgive me. He doesn't even have to forgive me, but if what he wants is to be away, then I have to let him." Rose forced the words out, knowing they were true but wishing with everything she had that they weren't.

River could see the pain in her eyes, and she heard it in her voice. "What about you. Rose, I know you feel guilty, and I know you're always the one to fix other people. But this time? He hurt you too. You're just as important and you feel like you've lost someone too."

Rose shook her head. "No. River, he's always been there when I needed him. The past year...everything that's happened? He did whatever he could to help. And I've been so selfish. So no, I don't want him to apologize. I want...I want the impossible. For him to let me back in."

River didn't know what to say. She pursed her lips and held Rose's hands. "You don't realize how strong and unselfish you are, Rose. He needs that."

"He doesn't want it. Not anymore." she said in a quiet voice.

"Maybe not yet, but he will."

Rose's eyebrows pulled together. "Do you know something?"

River shrugged. "Time lines aren't written in stone, Rose. There isn't much I can be sure of. But this? I can do something about this."

"River..." Rose warned.

"No. Don't worry, I won't kidnap him or force him to leave with me. I'm just going to see for myself." she leaned up and kissed Rose on the forehead. "I'll see you again soon."

Rose hugged her friend. It was impossible to be surprised anymore; River was becoming family to her. "Fine. Just don't do anything stupid, alright? And at least call in advance if you're about to need rescue."

River laughed and stood up. "Oh alright, I suppose I can do that. Goodbye, Rose."

"See you later, River." Rose said crossing her arms as River disappeared. Strangely enough, she had done well this past month. But, she knew that was completely because of the Doctor.

"Thinking about me, are we?" he said, appearing at the doors and smirking.

She blushed very slightly then looked at him accusingly. "You said you couldn't read direct thoughts."

His smirk turned into a wide grin. "I didn't, you just send out a quite distinct feeling when you're thinking about certain things. I'm just glad I was right and that one was about me."

Rose grinned and rolled her eyes. "Who else would it be? And what feeling was I giving off exactly?" she asked as he made his way to her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Tension he didn't know he had bottled up relaxed when her arms were wrapped around his neck. He still hadn't figured out how she did that...but he loved it. "Well...and I'm not exaggerating, it feels like you're thinking about the person that...well..."

She raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Maybe I'm assuming too much." he admitted.

Her eyebrows pulled together slightly. "Just tell me?"

"It feels like you're thinking about the person that means the very most to you. Out of everyone you ever met. It's happiness and joy and love and passion. All wrapped into one person that you put above everyone else." he said, now really hoping he wasn't assuming too much.

She gave him a small smile, but that small smile meant more to them than a goofy grin. "That's you. Really, it's an understatement though. How could you not be the one that means the most to me? I want to spend the rest of my life with you, not something that I take lightly."

He was speechless for a moment. Honestly...he had thought that person for her was Jack. Well, maybe not the passion bit. He pulled her closer, but not in the "need sex now" kind of closer, but in the "I just want to hold you close because you mean everything to me" kind of way.

"Not something I take lightly either. Rose...you can't imagine how much." he said softly.

"I think I have a good idea. I love you, you know."

He smiled softly. "I love you more." he said and bent down slowly to kiss her gently. He should do it now. He should ask her right now. It was a perfect moment, just a quiet moment in the Library with no one else around. He should do it now. "Rose..." he started quietly as he pulled back.

"You're brilliant, you know." she said, twisting a bit of hair at the back of his head. "I don't know what I did to deserve you."

"That's just it, isn't it? Rose, you didn't have to do a thing. I-" he was cut off by a ring tone coming from Rose's pocket.

She chuckled and stepped back to answer the phone. "Hello?" she said, biting her lip trying not to laugh at the pouty face the Doctor was putting on. Suddenly there was a click and the call ended. She frowned and pulled the phone back to look at it.

"What is it?" the Doctor asked.

"I don't know...whoever it was hung up and it just says unknown number..."

He frowned and whipped out his sonic screwdriver, running it over the phone quickly. "Well...oh."

"Oh? Good oh, or bad oh?" Rose asked.

He frowned too as he looked at the screwdriver. "Neither. Possibly both. There aren't signals to trace. None. Whoever it was, they knew what they were doing..."

Rose pocketed the phone and looked back up to the Doctor, raising an eyebrow. "Don't think that's gonna make me forget." She said, talking about the Ponds. She knew he loved them too; he just had a tendency to procrastinate when it came to companions.

He shrugged innocently. "I've no idea what you're talking about..." he trailed off, at the same time moving closer to her again.

Not that she minded. She grinned and straightened his bow tie for him. "Really? So then there's no need for me to do...I dunno...something like this?" she asked, standing on her toes and ghosting her lips over his jaw, slowly going up to nip at his ear.

She felt his hands grip her arms just that much tighter, and she knew that if she was looking she would see the way his eyes darkened. "Rose..." he half-moaned.

She stared to pull back, her tongue poking out in a grin. "Stop?"

It was amazing the way she somehow always knew exactly how to drive him crazy. What was worse she still hadn't quite mastered how to control her emotions, not that he minded, so he could feel her mind playing at the back of his. "No." he said, not bothering to try and cover up the new raspy tone in his voice.

"Oh." she mumbled, unable to think of a smart response with the way he was looking at her...just like that she was lost in his eyes. Somewhere in the back of her mind she realized how incredibly cliché she made herself sound. Not that she cared in the slightest.

"Rose...you should really let me finish..." he started again, his voice still uneven and it sent a shiver down her spine.

This time she didn't hesitate. "Doctor? Shut up." she said, and all at once his resolve crumbled as soon as her lips were back on his.

He knew that he really, _really_ needed to finish his question, but he couldn't. It was physically impossible to resist Rose Marion Tyler when she was doing things like that with those gorgeous lips of hers.

But he would. Of course he would. He would ask her tomorrow. Tomorrow was a good plan...that gave him time to stop worrying and enjoy the beautiful Time Lady standing in front of him. He grinned into her neck as he trailed kisses down it. She was a Time Lady. Well really more Galifrayen, but he honestly didn't care in the slightest in that moment. She was his. She was safe, and they were together. Tomorrow could wait.

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**Bit of a gap-filler chap, but I thought it was needed. Even if you weren't too fond of this first one, hang tight ;)**

**Don't worry if you really really want more about their month away, things just might be reveled later on...(yes they will).**

**And also, since the dreaded school is in session, it might be only weekend updates for awhile, but I promise to not let this one fall off the face of the earth...like others. Sorry.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Short chapter...and also I'm a terrible updater...sorry. Again. **

**But thank you all soo much for the reviews, those are honestly what motivate me to write and post :)**

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**-Chapter 2-**

Rose woke up laying on her stomach with a pressure on her back. It took her a moment to realize it was a person's head. And still another to notice it was a sleeping person's head. She grinned and almost turned over. Then she bit her lip...she didn't want to wake him up...but she hated missing a chance to catch him sleeping...it really didn't happen often.

She instinctively froze for a moment as an arm wove its way around her, pulling her closer. She relaxed into him, and felt his hearts beating along together slowly and calmly, as opposed to the usual up beat and excited pace they had.

She smiled to herself and turned her head, only to get a face full of the Doctor's hair. Too quickly the Doctor moved his head up, slamming right into her face. Mostly her nose.

"Oi!" Rose yelped, jerking back and not realizing just how close she was to the edge of the bed. Suddenly there was nothing under her until she flopped onto the floor, taking the sheets with her.

"Rose!" The Doctor scrambled and looked over the edge of the bed. Really he looked terrified, Rose thought. His eyes were wide and his mouth open just a bit.

That was when she burst out laughing, lying back on her back, covering her eyes, and she didn't even bother to try and calm herself.

"W-what? Are you alright? Rose?" the Doctor asked, slightly confused. He had just rammed her in the nose and she had fallen of the bed with a yelp and a thud and now she was laughing... Slowly he started to chuckle at the whole situation too.

She took her hand off her eyes and rested it on her stomach as she caught her breath. "Good morning." she sighed happily.

He laughed harder and grinned down at the naked Rose lying on top of a mess of sheets on the floor. "Sorry." he said a bit sheepishly after he stopped laughing.

She giggled, shaking her head and brushing the hair out of her face. "Nah...suppose I should get off the floor though, huh?"

He smiled. "That would be best, it's a bit cold up here with no sheets."

She rolled her eyes and sat up, lazily getting back up and rolling back onto the bed. She sighed and looked back at the Doctor. "Not one of my top five mornings, but not the worst." she teased.

He raised an eyebrow as he pulled her closer, propping his head up on his elbow. "Top five?"

"Yep." she said, popping the p. "Why, don't you have a top five? Oh, well I suppose in over 1000 years picking just five mornings would be a bit difficult." she realized.

He chuckled and shook his head. "Not really. They're all relatively close together. The hard part would be picking only five."

Rose raised an eyebrow and turned her body to face him. "What do you mean?" She asked. He shrugged, suddenly a bit self-conscious. That was happening a lot lately...probably something to do with the fact that Rose was the first and only person he had ever shared this much with.

"Just that...well. My best mornings all have one common factor." He admitted. She still didn't get it. He smiled and tapped her nose. "You, Rose. The best mornings of my entire life all involve you. The hard part is picking only five of them, when every single one makes me feel happier than I ever thought I could be."

Her mouth fell open just slightly as that sunk in. Then she grinned. "Want to know mine?" she mumbled. He grinned and she continued. "Well, the first is the one after I met my dad."

He frowned. "What? Rose...if I remember correctly, that was not the happiest time we had that year."

She rolled her eyes. "Then you don't remember correctly. That was the very first time I had ever been in your room. And the first time I had even been in your bed with you. Not to mention the first time I had woken up with you still being right there, holding me."

His eyebrows pulled together. "Was it really?"

She chuckled. "Yeah. Every other time you had come into my room after a bad day or a nightmare I had and yeah, you held me and comforted me, but you were gone by the time I woke up." She said, poking him in the chest.

He frowned slightly, going back to that morning. She was right...and he remembered in that very moment he had felt so differently that it scared him. He hadn't admitted it yet, but he loved staying with her the whole night, watching her sleep and having her in his arms. The smile she gave him when she woke up...that was one of his best mornings too.

He grinned. "I agree, that's definitely one of mine. Not the very, very best, but not in the top five." He said and she laughed.

"Copycat. Your turn, then." she said, poking him and then softly tracing random patterns on his chest.

His face softened and his grin turned into a warm smile. "The morning that...that I finally realized my worries were completely useless." He said softly.

She stopped her finger for a moment and looked back at him. "What worries?"

He chuckled. "When I regenerated in front of you...you were terrified. Rightfully so, too. But...you asked me to change back. I...for a while after I was scared you still felt that way."

"Doctor-"

He put his finger over her mouth. "Let me finish. But then, one morning, I woke up with your arms wrapped tightly around me. Your head was on my shoulder and we were in the Library. You were smiling in your sleep. I tried to inch away, but you were just as stubborn in your sleep as you are awake. Not that I minded. When you woke up, you smiled up at me and I almost told you."

Rose smiled softly and moved closer, resting her head by his chest, and weaving her leg in between his. "That was one of mine too." She said.

His arm moved around her waist and suddenly the tip of his finger was tracing lazy patterns on her back. But they weren't patterns at all, really. "Another...wasn't a morning that either of us had woken up from. We hadn't slept. But...technically it was morning. In a jail cell. I had worked out a way to escape relatively quickly, but sitting there with you, no way out, just the two of us? I almost didn't want to leave. We sat and talked and you didn't even fall asleep. We played games, including your silly questions and answers one. I almost told you then too, come to think of it."

Rose smiled into his chest. "Are all of our mornings the same?"

He chuckled. "The next...would be the morning after I found you again in Cardiff. Yes, your nightmare wasn't exactly the best situation...but you were there. I was half afraid I had just been dreaming all of this and in reality I was dying. But no, my brilliant Rose, you wouldn't have that."

She rolled her eyes but lightly kissed his chest anyway. "Even with the nightmare? That was the best morning I'd had in ages. You do tend to sell yourself a bit short, Doctor. At least when it comes to things like this."

He rolled his eyes now and nudged her head with his chin. "Maybe I won't tell you my number one morning then."

She laughed. "I think I can guess. It's probably mine too."

He chuckled and shook his head. "No...I know your favorite morning. That one is incredibly brilliant, but not my number one."

Her eyebrows pulled together and she pushed back to look at him. "What's your number one then? Really I think that the first time I made love to the man I love comes at the very top?"

He just grinned. "It's second. But not quite first."

She raised an eyebrow. "Is it one of the mornings this past month? She asked, raising an eyebrow.

He laughed and shook his head resting his forehead against hers. "No. But I will remember every single one of those for as long as I live."

"I give up. What's the number one?" Rose asked, curious.

He paused, and then closed his eyes. "The morning, or night, I don't really know how time works in that situation. Whichever, it still ranks as number one. On the steps of the museum. I was hurt because I knew you weren't telling me something...but then you told me. And you showed me. Rose...in that moment I was not alone. I'm not the last anymore. That feeling, just knowing that the emptiness I've lived with for so, so long is gone? You cannot imagine how much that moment meant to me. And the fact that it's you? The sole person in every single universe that I will ever love...Rose Tyler, you gave me the universe." He said softly.

Rose had tears in her eyes. Not only from what he was saying, but what she felt when he opened his mind. He normally kept it closed...but not now. And that was enough to bring her to tears. Happy tears, but tears.

She opened her mouth but had no idea what to say. So she didn't say anything. Rose moved and captured his lips with hers, noticing that hers weren't the only tears.

The Doctor wholeheartedly hated tears, when they came from him at least. He kept his eyes shut tightly and he leaned into Rose to deepen the kiss. He would never understand how he was becoming so human...his tears weren't only because of his pain, but also because this was the happiest he had been and it had lasted for an entire month.

But even that would come to an end. Everything did.

* * *

Several hours later, Rose was cooking fish fingers while the Doctor came up to wrap his arms lazily around her waist and rest his chin on her shoulder.

Rose grinned. "I thought you had to do repairs?"

"Well...yes I do. But they can wait."

"You do realize this is incredibly domestic?"

He paused, and then shrugged. "Domestic people don't eat fish fingers and custard in a TARDIS. Domestic people don't even have a TARDIS. So really this isn't domestic at all." He reasoned.

Rose laughed. "Can't argue with that. But..."

He frowned. "Why?" He whined.

Rose rolled her eyes. "You don't even know what I was going to say."

He groaned and let go of her, moving back to stick his finger in the custard, then his mouth. "Yes I do."

Rose turned the oven off and took out the food. Then she turned to face him, crossing her arms over her chest. "We are going to get them. It's been ages and that isn't fair to them."

"I'm sure they won't even mind! A month compared to fourteen years is nothing." He said sheepishly.

Rose set her jaw at that comment. "Doctor. This isn't just 'for us, it's for Amy and Rory too. For them to eat it, they have to be here. So let's go before it gets too cold."

He pouted and decided to try a different tactic. "You don't like it here with just the two of us? Alright, let's go get the Ponds, Rose is unhappy with the silly old Doctor, she'd rather spend her time with a centurion and a ginger." He said, walking out.

Rose rolled her eyes and ran to catch him up, stopping in front of him a pointing a finger. "That won't work. I know you love Amy and Rory, even if it's Amy a bit more. You're just procrastinating. You're worried she'll be mad at you again so you're trying to delay it."

He frowned. "Of course I love Amy, and I want her here and to go on adventures with my best friend and her husband, who also happens to be a friend, I just..."

"What?"

"I didn't want this to end. It's not like we can exactly run off in the middle of visiting a planet like we've done. And I rather like doing that." He admitted, tugging on his earlobe.

She smirked, her tongue poking out. "Who says we can't? We just have to be a bit sneaky." She said and winked at him.

His mouth fell open. "W-well I-I...yes. Let's go get the Ponds and then find a planet. Immediately." He said, his voice getting slightly higher. He took her hand and ran pulling her along to the condole. "Brand new planet. Somewhere we've never been!"

Rose laughed when he lifted he hand above her head and spun her sound. "Suddenly in a good mood then, eh?" she asked happily.

He just turned to her and smiled. "Yes. Extremely. And I've just had an idea."

She raised an eyebrow. "Which is...?"

He grinned wider. "Something we haven't done in...oh a month. You can even wear a dress! But we'll do it after we go get the Ponds of course." He teased.

"Really? What's that then?"

He turned back to her and flashed a grin. "Dancing, Rose Tyler. I'm going to take you dancing."


	3. Chapter 3

**Quotes from the episode; A Christmas Carol :) Anything not from that ep is mine however :)**

* * *

-Chapter Three-

The Doctor swung open the TARDIS doors with a massive smile on his face. "Hello Ponds!" He shouted without looking.

Rose raised an eyebrow, slowly moving out from behind him. "Doctor...?" She started as she stepped out in front.

He blinked then his face fell. "Drat. Well, right time...wrong place..." He said, looking around.

Rose shivered and rubbed her arms. "Seriously? You tell me to go out on a dress and now were standing on top of a bare rooftop in the freezing cold." She half teased.

He gave her an apologetically guilty look. "Yes...sorry about that. Oh! I can fix the cold bit though!" He realized, and started shrugging off his jacket.

"Doctor, it's cold remember? I've got the same skin as you now, if I'm cold so are you." She reasoned as he shook his head, smirking.

"Nah, I've been in much colder with much less clothing. That plus I've had a considerable amount of time to build up a resistance. This is nothing." He said, and wrapped her up in his tweed jacket. He paused for a moment, and stepped back.

He wasn't exactly muscular in his current body, but his jacket still managed to make her look small again, like the nineteen year old girl he had once wrapped up in a bulky leather jacket. Not that Rose was in anyway small, or nineteen, but her covered up in his light tweed jacket gave him a warm feeling inside. A feeling he still wasn't used to, but one he definitely loved.

Rose raised an eyebrow at him again. "What? Does tweed not match with red satin?" She teased.

He smiled and moved closer, winding his arm through hers and intertwining their fingers to hold her hand. "On the contrary, Rose Tyler. You look beautiful. Especially in tweed. Although, that dress isn't made of satin."

She rolled her eyes but the smile and slight blush gave her away. "Close enough, anyway. So...any idea where we are then, mister fashion expert?"

He laughed and squeezed her hand as they started to make their way to what looked like a ladder. "You know, you're the first to call me that. The very first actually. But...we are...oh."

"Oh? I'm really starting to not like it when you say oh." Rose mumbled.

He smirked briefly and looked back to the sky. "That. That's a fish. A fish!" He said, moving away from Rose to sonic the floating fish.

An amazed smile broke out on Rose's face. "Is that really a fish swimming in the air?" She asked walking slowly up beside him.

He turned and saw that look on her face, the one he had loved ever since the very first time he had taken her somewhere with the TARDIS. He loved that look on her. Turning back to the fish he reached up to poke it before it swam out of his reach.

"Oh...gotta love new planets!" He said, that whimsical time returning to his voice.

Rose smiled wide, he was adorable when he was like this. Like two hundred years were lifted off his shoulders. She walked up and grabbed his arm. "They're amazing, Doctor. So where are we? Why would the TARDIS send us here if we need to find the Ponds?"

"Well...maybe we need to be here. Or...maybe the TARDIS agrees that we need some alone time as well as I do," he said smirking and turning her around to wrap his arms around her waist. "It's quite nice here, quiet streets, it's Christmas Eve, snow on the ground, stars...well not quite visible but it's still a very nice night out. And you're here. Just you and me. Nothing around to interfere..." He started, trailing off as he leaned his head down to softly capture her lips.

Suddenly they heard shouting coming from the chimney stack. The Doctor continued to hold onto her and kiss her, until they heard more shouting and Rose had to pull away and pause to listen.

"Doctor did you just hear what I heard?"

He kept his eyes closed. "Depends on what you heard, Rose," maybe if she hadn't heard what the angry man had yelled he could keep kissing her...

"A man said something about asking for a woman back and the angry one said something about keeping her. Then something about a ship with 4,000 life forms and how there wouldn't be 'if we wait a bit'. He sounded happy, laughing about that. Very not good, Doctor."

She was right. Of course she was. Well, kissing would have to wait then. Drat. "Oh...yes I suppose it isn't good. You missed the part I heard though. How it's a galaxy class ship. Rory and Amy are on one of those."

Rose's face fell. "Oh. Right, they are. Forgot about that."

They stood there for a moment. "We had to go down there."

"Quickest way in is that chimney," Rose added, pointing to their right. "Just like Santa."

The Doctor broke out in a wide grin. "Always wanted to do that."

Rose laughed and kissed his cheek. "Well get a move on, this dress isn't making it down there. Get in and open the door, yeah? It's a bit cold out here," she said running her hands down her sides and smirking.

The Doctor groaned. "Rose don't tease at a time like this."

"Hurry so you can help warm me up," teasing him never got old. Rose laughed as he bit his lip and she hurried forward to the ladder at the side of the roof. "See ya soon, Doctor."

He grinned and ran over to the chimney, hoping over the edge and sliding down before he could change his mind and use one of the many ways he was thinking of to keep her warm...

* * *

All of a sudden he was inside the house and somersaulting into a living room. "Ah! Yes, blimey, sorry! Christmas Eve on a roof top and had to get down here, saw a chimney and my whole brain just went, what the hell!"

He walked over to the children and smiled a bit softer. "Don't worry, fat fella will be doing the regular rounds later. I'm just scoping out the general...chimney-ness. Yes. Nice size, good traction...big tick!

"Fat fella?" The man holding the boy's shoulder asked.

"Father Christmas, Santa Clause, or as I've always known him...Jeff."

The little boy looked at the Doctor oddly. "There's no such person as Father Christmas."

"Oh yeah?" The Doctor asked, pulling out an old, tattered, photo in black and white. "Me and Father Christmas. 1952. That one in the back with the blonde...Albert Einstein. Oh the three of us together...hrrrrooom! Watch out! Rose was quite a kicker!"

"What should we watch out for? And who did I kick?" Rose asked, raising an eyebrow as she was escorted in the room by a tall, burly man.

"Rose! Oh um...watch out for science. We were all very smart, obviously. So much...science. And math, yeah lots of math. Right. Keep the faith, stay off the naughty list," he added to the boy. "Anyway, ohhh what's this? I love this. A big flashy lighty thing! That's what brought us here then."

The Doctor walked over to huge control panels with lights and knobs all over. At least that was all it looked like to Rose.

"Big flashy lighty things have got my name written all over them. Not actually, but give me time and a crayon," he said, trailing off as he sat in the chair and spun around to face the grumpy, and now confused, old man. "Now. This flashy lighty thing is connected to the spire in your dome, yeah, and it controls the sky. Well really it controls the clouds, which technically aren't clouds at all. Well, they're clouds of tiny particles of ice. Ice clouds, love that."

"Wait Doctor, who's this?" Rose asked, walking towards the woman that seemed to be frozen inside the iron box.

"Just about to ask that, love. Who's she?" The Doctor repeated, walking over to rosé and the frozen woman in white.

"No one important," the old man said.

"Really? Blimey, that's amazing. You know, in 900 years of time and space I've never met anyone unimportant before," the Doctor said, but then he changed direction again and went back to the controls. "Now I'd say this console is the key to saving the ship, or I'll eat my hat."

"You don't have a hat, Doctor," Rose added.

"Well someone else's hat. Not someone who was using their hat, don't want to shock a nun or something."

"Rambling, Doctor," Rose said smirking.

"Yes sorry, rambling cos...cos this isn't working! Why?"

"Controls are isomorphic. One to one. They respond only to me," the old man said.

"And who are you?" Rose asked.

"Kazran Sardick, as if you don't know. I should be asking the questions, you are the ones intruding!"

"No, I was let in by your lovely door man, and I'm Rose actually, Rose Tyler."

"Oh you're a fibber!" The Doctor said.

"No I'm not, that's my name," Rose said putting a hand on her hip.

"Not you, him! Isomorphic...there's no such thing!" The Doctor said, waving a hand in the air.

Kazran reached over and flipped a switch, shutting it off, and then flipping it again to turn it on. The Doctor tried to do the same thing but nothing happened.

"No such thing?" Rose said, laughing slightly. He always had that slightly annoying tendency to think he was always right.

The Doctor ran the sonic over the panel. "These controls are isomorphic!"

"The skies of this world are mine. My family tamed them, and now I own them."

"Tame the skies? Why would you need to? Besides, you can't own something like that. That's like saying you own the planet," Rose argued.

"I own that too, little girl. I'm Kazran Sardick, how can you possibly not know who I am?"

"We're just easily bored I suppose. So we need your help then," the Doctor concluded.

"Make an appointment," Kazran said coldly.

"4,003 people on that ship up there, trapped in your cloud belt. Without you they will all definitely die," the Doctor said, trying the sympathy route.

"Yes that's right," Kazran said simply.

"You don't have to let that happen," Rose added.

"I know, but I am going to. Bye-bye. Bored now. Chuck!" He called to his servant, and two men came and put their hands on the Doctor and Rose's shoulders. The Doctor ducked out of the man's grip and stood in front of Kazran, sitting in his chair.

"Oh ho ho, look at you, looking all tough now. In front of the blonde lady friend? Is this all a big show?" Kazran scoffed sarcastically and settled into his chair.

"There are 4,003 people I won't allow to die tonight. Do you know where that puts you?" The Doctor said, all traces of levity gone.

"Where?"

"4,004." The Doctor bent down just as he was saying that, to look right in the old man's face. Any normal man would have squirmed.

This one just grinned; "was that a sort of threat-y thing?"

"Whatever happens tonight, just remember you brought it on yourself," the Doctor said as he was being pulled out the door.

"Yeah, yeah right. Get him out of here. Next time, try and find some funny poor people," Kazran said smiling. Rose stayed where she was as the family and the Doctor were escorted out.

The little boy picked up a piece of coal and threw it at Kazran's head. Kazran threw himself out of the chair and bounded over to the boy with his hand raised.

"No, stop, don't!" The Doctor shouted.

"Don't you dare, you leave him!" The father yelled.

Kazran paused and stared at the boy, for a moment his expression softened. Just as quickly, it hardened and he lowered his hand. "Get him out of here! Get that foul smelling family out of here! Out!"

"We're going!" The boy said, his fear showing in his voice.

Kazran waked back to his chair and turned around to face the Doctor, "what do you want?"

"A simple life. But you didn't hit the boy," the Doctor noticed.

"Well I will next time!"

Rose frowned slightly, she had noticed too. "No, you won't. It's your chair," she said, waiting for the Doctor to realize.

"The chair?" The Doctor repeated, pacing up and down.

"Get out! Get out of this house, the both of you!"

"Oh! Oh Rose you're clever. Almost cleverer than me."

"Almost? Let's see. Mr. Kazran, there's a portrait of a man behind you. Looks a hell of a lot like you, but he's too old. So your father? Been gone about 20 years now? I'd say so," Rose said, not sounding smug this time. Too much was at stake. Rory and Amy and 4,001 more people were at stake.

"Right! And as Rose pointed out, all the chairs are angled away from that portrait. You still can't get comfortable where he can see you, even after his death. There's a Christmas tree in that painting but none in this house, on Christmas Eve. You're scared of him."

"And of being like him," Rose added.

"And good for you, you're not like him. Not really, do you know why?" The Doctor asked.

Kazran looked at the mad talking man questionably. "Why?"

"You didn't hit the boy. Merry Christmas, Mr. Sardick," the Doctor said, starting to walk away.

"I despise Christmas!" Sardick shouted, waving a hand.

"You shouldn't, it's very you," the Doctor said nearly at the door.

"It's what? What do you mean?"

"Halfway out of the dark," he said solemnly, closing the door behind him.

Kazran stood staring at the door without a word. Then he noticed the girl in the red dress looking into the iron case. "What is it, girl?"

"This frozen girl, she seems so peaceful. But him? The man that just walked out? That's the Doctor. And he means what he says. He won't allow you to die. Me? I'm not the Doctor. People I love are up there right now. And thousands more. If I know him, he's got a plan. Now his plans don't always work. And if this one doesn't," she paused, walking closer to Kazran," if it doesn't then I will step in. Without hesitation. He has his ways...and I've got mine. I'll say goodnight, Mr. Sardick, but I doubt you'll actually be having one."

With that Rose made her way to the door, taking the coat from the doorman and walking out strongly, not showing any sort of hesitation.

Kazran paused then closed his mouth. A woman had never spoken to him like that. It would be the first and last time when he was through. They thought he was rough...these people didn't know rough.

"Get this one downstairs with the others. And clean this mess up!" He shouted, pointing at the soot left all over the floor from the Doctor.

* * *

**Ok, first off, I am sorry. So, so sorry. I feel like Ten having to say this so often but that's not so bad because let's be honest, that's one foxy Doctor.**

**Anyhoo, I really am sorry about the absolutely massively long wait on this chapter. I won't bore you with excuses of busyness, but I will say that this time, I am going to try for a once every two weeks. Got it on my calendar now so no backing out...let's see how this monster goes.**

**Reviewers, you lot have kindly pushed me to update and for that I thank you immensely :) As should the rest of you readers that have been waiting for this chappie, come to think of it :)**

**Thank you, thank you, thank you so very much for reviewing, it really does mean a lot :) I love reading your opinions so much!**


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